Red Jacket capital project approved

After passing a more than $3 million capital project Tuesday night, the Manchester-Shortsville school district will undergo improvements to areas such as the school auditorium, restrooms and bus garage, among others.

The project passed in a 352-77 vote April 9. The total cost of the project is $3,156,000; however, most of that figure will be funded through state aid, said the school district.

After passing a more than $3 million capital project Tuesday night, the Manchester-Shortsville school district will undergo improvements to areas such as the school auditorium, restrooms and bus garage, among others.

The project passed in a 352-77 vote April 9. The total cost of the project is $3,156,000; however, most of that figure will be funded through state aid, said the school district. The project will not affect the tax levy; instead, the school will allocate $585,000 from the capital reserve fund. Voter approval was needed before that reserve-fund money could be used.

The improvements include fixing outdated circuit breakers and collapsed kitchen pipes, and remodeling two bathrooms to meet with the federal Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessibility requirements. The project will also help replace 50-year-old blinds on classroom windows, fix the wiring for the auditorium lights, insert a LED lighting system for those auditorium lights, and update the gasoline pumps at the bus garage.

These changes will not be immediate. In December, former Red Jacket Superintendent Robert Leiby estimated that the work may not get under way until summer 2015.

A similar vote was defeated in December by a tally of 173 against to 135 in favor. After that attempt was rejected, the Board of Education made some minor changes. The original vote was for a $3.8 million project and would have used $635,000 from the capital reserve fund.

A full list of the improvements can be found on the school’s website: www.redjacket.org.